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Number of engineering aspirants on a steep decline, students preferring Biology

Number of engineering aspirants on a steep decline, students preferring Biology

601 Nov 2, 2015

GUJARAT: The number of engineering aspirants is on a steep decline, and biology apparently is catching up strongly amongst students in higher secondary schools. The total number of students registered in B group (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) has more than doubled in the past 5 years. On the other hand, the number of students in A group (Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics) has declined to the tune of 12% in the same period. For the first time ever, Biology students have outnumbered Mathematics students in a given academic year. Since the introduction of semester system in 2009, the number of A group students has always been more than the number of B group students.

This sudden shift in scenario has given a huge encouragement to the applied science teaching staff. This change in preference is happening due to engineering consistently losing its sheen amongst students. Each year, seats to the tune of 20,000 in engineering colleges are falling vacant. Going by the figures, this number shall only increase with the passing of 2016 batch.

This shift in paradigm shall benefit self-financed institutions, as these shall now rush for admission procedures. As against a total of 76,000 students, there are only 10,000 seats for medical and para-medical aspirants in Gujarat. These shall increase by about 1000 seats in 2016, as per the officials.

Seeking opinions from students just entering into higher secondary education, they feel that engineering is not helping them gain desired placements and opportunities. On the other hand, after completing BSc and then MSc, one can look at teaching or research opportunities.

Former chairman of GSHSEB Hasmukh Hingu, reinforced that the change in choice of students is driven by lack of good career opportunities, along with the fact that there is saturation in the current job market.

M N Patel, Gujarat University vice-chancellor said that the trend against engineering is on the rise. In addition to it, there are only about 10,000 seats for medical and para-medical courses. This has hence shifted the student focus towards joining applied sciences. This shall hence lead more students into science colleges, where seats used to lie vacant in 2009-10.